Switching apparatuses of that kind are generally known in particular in the form of cam switches and are used in the most widely varying pieces of equipment and for the most widely varying functions. In that respect one or more cam discs are arranged on an actuating shaft. Those cam discs are distinguished in particular in that their outer periphery departs from a circular shape at at least one location and has either a cam dip, that is to say a reduced spacing of the outer peripheral edge with respect to the actuating shaft, or a raised cam lobe, that is to say an increased spacing of the peripheral edge with respect to the actuating shaft.
Now, an actuating lever extending along such a periphery of a camshaft of such a configuration, for a switch or a contact spring itself, opposite which there is a further contact in the radial direction of the cam disc, can be actuated by the cam disc and can thus trigger a switching operation.
Depending on the situation of use involved, it is possible to provide a single cam disc which actuates one or more switches, in a complete revolution. Alternatively, it is also possible to provide on a shaft, a plurality of mutually spaced cam discs which then naturally can actuate a plurality of switches, in accordance with the configuration of cam dips and/or raised cam lobes. In that way, a plurality of different switches can be actuated automatically in a predetermined relationship with each other.
A disadvantage with those known cam switches however is that, for example as a consequence of inevitable tolerances, the precision of such switching mechanisms cannot be increased just as may be desired, and frequently there is a conflict between the requirement for a high level of precision and at the same time a small installation size.